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October 16, 2017

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South China braced for typhoon No. 20

Source: Agencies | 00:01 UTC+8 October 16, 2017 | Print Edition

TYPHOON Khanun is likely to hit south China early today with winds of up to 114 kilometers per hour, China’s meteorological agency said.

Khanun is expected to make landfall between Zhanjiang in Guangdong Province and Wenchang in Hainan Province, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Later, it should weaken and turn southwest toward central Vietnam, the center said.

It has issued an orange alert, the second-highest in China’s four-tier alert system for severe weather.

Guangdong Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Khanun, this year’s 20th typhoon, will unleash gales and rainstorms which will pose a threat to dikes in the area.

Shipping services on the Qiongzhou Strait, between the island province of Hainan and Guangdong on the mainland, have been suspended. A total of 18,477 fishing boats have returned to port, and 6,971 people have gone ashore. Tourist attractions near the coast have been closed.

In neighboring Fujian Province, 17,152 ships with 28,691 crew members have returned to port, while 4,041 coastal residents have been evacuated. Local authorities also closed 51 tourist attractions and 547 construction sites.

In Hainan, schools and kindergartens were asked to remain closed today.

Some 24,278 fishing boats are taking shelter in port, with 507,764 crew members.

By early yesterday afternoon, 267 flights to and from the Meilan International Airport in Haikou, Hainan’s capital, had been canceled, while 22 flights to and from Sanya were called off. High-speed train services in Hainan have been suspended since early yesterday.

More than 335 teams made up of 6,200 workers are on standby to repair any power cable damage caused by the typhoon.

In the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, at least four passenger train services have been canceled.

China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has activated a level III emergency response, urging local authorities to make thorough preparations for possible disasters.

The headquarters warned that Khanun will be at its peak when it makes landfall and will pose a serious threats to activities in coastal areas.

To avoid casualties and property damage, local governments should take precautions and suspend work, classes and transport if necessary, the headquarters said.

It has sent work teams to Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Shanghai to help prepare aid and relief ahead of the typhoon’s arrival.

Meanwhile, authorities in Hong Kong eased weather warnings and transport services were slowly returning to normal.

The city’s observatory lowered its weather warning to the second-lowest and ferry services slowly resumed to nearby islands, with Macau trips due to return last night.

Most flights at Hong Kong’s international airport would be leaving on time or with minor delays, according to the airport’s flight information system.

The storm comes about two months after Typhoon Hato, a maximum category 10 storm, caused havoc in Hong Kong and deaths in nearby Macau, with extensive flooding and disruption to transport.

Before Khanun had passed, authorities in Macau had canceled all marine transport and most flights and a storm surge warning had been issued.

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